Station-indicator



(No Model.)

E. ELBERT.

, STATION INDICATOR.

No. 514,649, Y. Patented Peb. 18, 1894.

Ffg

YHE unicum, Lmcoanpmne coMFANT.

WASHINGTON. o, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

EMIL ELEERT, on sT. Louis, MIssoUEI.

STATION-INDICATOR.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,649, dated February 13, 1894. Application filed February 23, 1892. Serial No. 422.427. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL ELBEET, of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street or Station Indicators, of which the following is a full. clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in street or station indicators, and consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and designated in the claim.

In the draWings:-Figure l, is a vertical transverse section of the upper portion of a car having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2, represents an end elevation of one end of a car or plat-form of the same with parts broken away, showing the remaining portion of my invention. Fig. 3, is a vertical transverse section of the indicator box, and Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the rollers, sheet upon the same and gearing for operating said rollers, and Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the pawl which I employin carrying ont myinvention.

The object of my invention is to better facilitate the convenience of passengers on street cars or other public carrying conveyanoes, by exposing to View before a street or station is approached the name of said approaching street or station, together with any other words or letters that may be useful to the traveling passenger.

My invention further consists in relieving the conductor of the labor necessary in operating the indicator, and is intended to be entirely operated bythe driver or motor men from the platform of the car. Of course when my invention is applied to cable cars, I may arrange any suitable contrivance by means of which the indicator will register or be operated before the street is reached. However, I have shown my invention practically applied to an electric car, and designed to be operated by the motoneer.

Referring to the drawings, l represents the car, which is of the ordinary construction, to which my invention is applied, showing the position and location of the same when atiached to the said car.

2, represents a box which may be square or of any other suitable shape in order to receive the several parts desired to be located therein. The front of the box 2 is provided with an elongated opening 3, by means of which the numbers and letters contained on the sheet carried by the rollers may be exposed to View. et, represents a roller which is secured to a shaft 5, and said shaft is journaled in the sides of the box 2 near the lower front end of the same. Also mounted upon said shaft and adapted to turn with the same is a small gear Wheel 6, which is adapted to mesh with the larger gear wheel as hereinafter described.

In the rear of the rollera and at a suitable distance therefrom is a second roller 7, which is also mounted upon a shaft 8, and the ends 0f said shaft journaled in the sides of the box 2. 9, represents a gear Wheel, the size of which is substantially the saine as the gear wheel 6,

and is keyed to the shaft 8 and is adapted to turn with the same.

l0, represents a tension roller, the journals of which are loosely mounted in slotted bearings in the sides of the box 2, and is adapted to move a short distance in order to keep the sheet ll taut, and further for guiding the same in its proper direction.

l1', represents a flat spring-the ends of which are secured to suitable lugs 12, which are carried by one side of the box 2 and the median portion of said spring adapted to bear against the surface of the roller 10. The ends of the sheet Il are attached to the rollers el. and 7 and are Wound from one to the other and vice versa.

13, represents a shaft the ends of which are journaled in the sides of the box 3, and keyed near one end of the said shaft is alarge gear wheel 14 the teeth of which mesh with the teeth formed on the gear Wheels 6 and 8, and when the said gear Wheel la is rotated as hereinafter described motion will be imparted to the sheet 1l. The sheet is composed of any suitable flexible material such as thin brass, or said sheet may be composed of canvas or any other textile fabric, and upon said sheet the names of the various streets are placed by printing the same thereon or in other desirable manner. The said names are printed upon the sheet 1l at a predetermined distance' apart in order that the same will be located opposite the opening 3 in the box.

15 represents a lever, one end of which is ICO loosely mounted upon the shaft 13 adjacent to the gear wheel 14, and is adapted to be moved independently of said gear wheel and shaft.

16 represents an elongated slot which is formed in the top of the box 2, allowing asufficent space for the lever 15 to be operated back and forth for imparting motion to the gear wheel 14 in a manner as hereinafter described.

To the lever 15 below thetop of the box 2 is attached one end of a coil spring 17, and the opposite end of the said spring is attached to the back of the box which always holds the lever 15 in the position as shown in Fig. 3.

18 represents a pawl having two engaging ends 19, either of which is adapted to be brought in contact with theteeth formed on the Wheel 14 when the weighted arm 2O is properly manipulated. To one side of the lever 15 or that adjacent to the wheel 14 is movably secured the said pawl 18 in such a position that the teeth will come in contact with the said ratchet wheel. Vhen the arm 2() is thrown in the position as shown in Fig. 3 the pawl will turn the various wheels in the direction as shown by the arrows, but when the said arm is thrown in the opposite direction, the said wheels will be rotated in opposite directions, and consequently sheet 11 will be moved in a like direction. The said pawl is provided with lugs 2l between which the weighted arm 20 is movably attached by means of ashort pintle 22 passing through the said lugs and arm.

23, represents a pulley of any character which is attached to the caras shown in Fig. 1, around which the rope or cord 24 is adapted to be passed for operatingr the lever l5. One end of the rope 24 is attached to the end of the lever 15 and the said rope is passed under pulley 23 and over a suitable pulley 25, and leads down through the tiooror platform of the car, and is attached to an angular lever 26.

27, represents a bracket .which is secured to the under surface or platform of the carto which the angular lever 26 is pivotally attached. 28 represents a second bracket which is similarly constructed, to which a second angular lever 29 is pivotally attached.

To one of the arms ofthe lever 26 is attached a rod 29', and the opposite end of said rod attached to one arm of the lever 29, making a rigid connection between said levers.

To the other arm of said lever 29 is movably 55 or platform of the car, and secured to the up-` per end of said rod is a plate 31 and is adapted to be pressed by the foot of the driver or motoneer. When the plate 3l is depressed, the rod 29 will be moved in the direction as shown by arrow in Fig. 2, causing the rope 24 to be pulled down and consequently move the 1ever 15 in the'direction as shown by the arrow in Fig. 3, operating the gearing and in consequence move the sheet 11 a suitable distance past the opening 3 in the box.

I am aware that prior to my invention station indicators have been provided with means whereby they may be actuated by foot, and that the hereinbefore described dog and driving mechanism for the band is not broadly new, but l am not aware thata tension roller has been mounted in the manner hereinbefore described (which I have found to possess many advantages) or that the hereinbefore described combination is old, and

What I claim is therefore- An indicator consisting of a casing 2, having an opening 3, rollers 4 and 7 mounted upon shafts, gear wheels 6 and 9 carried at the ends of the said shafts, a roller 10, journaled in slotted bearings in the upper part of the casing, lugs 12, a iiexed spring having its opposite ends secured to the said lugs and the central portion of its convex surface bearing upon the periphery of the said roller, a sheet having its ends attached to rollers 4 and 7, and passing over roller 10, a gear Wheel 14 mounted upon a shaft 13 and meshing with the gear wheels 6 and 7, above the same a lever 15, loosely mounted upon the shaft 13, and passing through a slot 16 in the top of the casing; a coil spring for moving said lever in one direction, a reversible pawl 18, loosely tixed to said lever, the teeth 19 which are adapted to engage with the gear wheels 14, and a weighted arm 20, loosely lixed to the said pawl for reversing the direction of the sheet, while the lever is moved in one direction only, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMIL ELBERT. Witnesses:

C. F. KELLER, L. L. TRAcnY.

IOO 

